Checking rod and main bearings

[bdtutton]

I am doing some valve work on my engine so the head and the valve cover will be off the engine. I was thinking about dropping the oil pan and taking a look at the rod bearings while the engine was half apart anyway.

Here is my question....is there a way to do a general check on the bearings without pulling the caps and using the plastic stuff to check clearances? I remember a couple of my grandfathers friends just reaching in and grabbing and pulling on the crank and the rods and declaring the engine good or bad. When I asked the old guys they said they could feel if anything was loose and if it wasn't you were good to go. If it was loose they would pull the engine apart and fix it.

My engine sounded good and did not burn a drop of oil before I started pulling it apart to fix the burnt valve. I always worry that I will break things that don't need to be fixed when I start pulling them apart to check them. Any opinions ?